36 Cigarettes racing back in the days
01-09-2007 | 12:41 PM
#151
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Re: 36 Cigarettes racing back in the days
Hi Marco: I will give some clarity to what you say. You are correct about the Red 36` Innerspace being sold to Mondadori. The light blue 36` with red hatches and motors was sold by me to a non racer from Miami back in early 1970`s never seen again. The boat that we raced in Melbourne was not a 36` Cig. It was a joint venture boat that Tom did with Hallett in Calif. 35` with a huge flat on the keel, two of those boats were built, all metal flake etc. true Calif. boats. The boats never performed with the flats on the keel so we fabricated an aluminum V keel and bolted it on, the boat ran OK. The only time we raced it was in Melbourne and we won, in unbelievable rough conditions, we watched the Peter Dean 44` Cig/dean boat break in half when it tryed to pass us. The seas were like 20 feet high and 50 mph winds, it took us almost four hours to complete the 80 mile shortened course, it was freezing cold as well, we stuffed the boat so many times I lost count, it was two person boat just me and Tom. We sold the boat to guy named Tony Haines who owned a boat co. there called Haines Hunter, the boat was damaged from the race and was sold as is. Arnold Glass bought the old Sabre Dance green 36` which had been owned by Lance Taines and raced with Mel Riggs, later they bought Sandy Satullo 38` Bertram. Gentry had a total of four Cigarette`s only. Red 36` Light blue 36` 1976 35` and the ex conspiracy 35` red and white which we also raced in Australia I think 1980 or 1981, it was when Billy Elswick also went with his 36` performer night moves. We only ran the Sydney race and broke a gimble, Tom was not able to make the remaining two races as he was going through nasty divorce with wife named Nora and she would not let him travel to race, so we just hung out for that month, long story behind that whole deal as well, I`ll include in the book when I write it. 7XCHAMP
Thank you Richie and Marco for clarifying this.
With the help of a photo from HORBA, can you tell us which one this is. My guess is that it could be the Californian hull.
Phil.
Last edited by Deauville Trophy; 01-10-2007 at 01:43 AM.
01-10-2007 | 03:28 AM
#152
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Re: 36 Cigarettes racing back in the days
Italian race in 1973
You are right about the Sabre Dance that was sold from Taines to Glass in 1974 or 1975 but the boat remained in Usa at last in 1976 and the windshield and hatches are litterally different. Ok alls can be changed but maybe the Sabre and the "aussie" American Eagle wasn't the same boat.
Marco
Marco,
Thanks for the picture of the blue American Eagle. I had been after this one for quite a while.
Would you happen to have any pictures of Sabre Dance, as well, please?
Thanks to Richie, I now know that it was green.
Thank you
Phil.
01-11-2007 | 09:16 AM
#154
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From: Spain
Re: 36 Cigarettes racing back in the days
Without wishing to change the direction of the present American Eagle queries - here is one of Graham´s shots which I´m sure most of you have seen. I just want anyone who hasn´t seen it to marvel in Graham´s picture - such a clear detailed shot from all those years ago is a true treasure! What a boat! (Even with that windshield Richie!)
01-11-2007 | 09:55 AM
#155
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From: Rhode Island summer, Florida winter
Re: 36 Cigarettes racing back in the days
That was a Dan Arena hull. He also built hulls for Howard Arneson.
Dan Arena was a well known west coast figure that built primarily hydroplanes and fast runabouts. Unfortunately his offshore designs did not prove long lasting.
01-11-2007 | 10:05 AM
#156
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From: Rhode Island summer, Florida winter
Re: 36 Cigarettes racing back in the days
Without wishing to change the direction of the present American Eagle queries - here is one of Graham´s shots which I´m sure most of you have seen. I just want anyone who hasn´t seen it to marvel in Graham´s picture - such a clear detailed shot from all those years ago is a true treasure! What a boat! (Even with that windshield Richie!)
Nigel that is a great photo. It really brings back those memories of what really fun days they were.
I was talking to Bill Wishnick yesterday from his home in Utah. We were talking about some of his memories of his own career. He still remembers with admiration the generosity of a South American competitor.
Wishnick had shipped his boat down to Argentina for the winter races. The first race was won by Balestrieri and Wishnick came in second. But to earn that second, they damaged one engine. He had no spare engine with him and was out of the running for the next race to Uraguay.
Balestrieri told him that one of the South American racers had suddendly taken ill and was in the hsospital. Wishnick went to visit him to see if he would be interested in letting him use his boat. He did, and Wishnick came in second in that race also.
In hindsight, he thought about what a generous offer the man had made to him. Real sportsman in all senses of the word.
His first race boat was a 20 foot Alim that he entered in the Around Long Island marathon. Since he needed extra fuel tanks, he set in another tank and "nailed" it all around with wood to hold it in........the tank broke loose on the way to the starting line...end of race.
01-11-2007 | 10:55 AM
#157
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Re: 36 Cigarettes racing back in the days
Actually it was Dan Arena/Tom Gentry design built by Rudy Ramos at his Rayson Craft facility, I was wrong the other day when I said Hallett. Dan Arena was going to build us a boat using some new technology that had reinforsed fibre glass rods or strips running through the cloth, and did`nt use a mold, I think he was using the cold molded process. Bobby Beich and I spent two weeks with Dan at his shop in Calif. where we were converting one of Tom`s boats from crash box to 72C trans. big job, had a lot of fun in Walnut Creek though. To the best of my knowledge the Arena boat was never completed, in favor of the molded boat from Ramos, wonder what ever happened to those molds, slick looking boats. Brings me to wonder if Freddie Miller is still around. **** Banks suffered a massive heart attack back in the early 90`s but recovered with a lot of damage to him self. Freddie is one who should be considered as legend also.7XCHAMP
01-11-2007 | 03:17 PM
#158
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Re: 36 Cigarettes racing back in the days
Nigel that is a great photo. It really brings back those memories of what really fun days they were.
I was talking to Bill Wishnick yesterday from his home in Utah. We were talking about some of his memories of his own career. He still remembers with admiration the generosity of a South American competitor.
Wishnick had shipped his boat down to Argentina for the winter races. The first race was won by Balestrieri and Wishnick came in second. But to earn that second, they damaged one engine. He had no spare engine with him and was out of the running for the next race to Uraguay.
Balestrieri told him that one of the South American racers had suddendly taken ill and was in the hsospital. Wishnick went to visit him to see if he would be interested in letting him use his boat. He did, and Wishnick came in second in that race also.
In hindsight, he thought about what a generous offer the man had made to him. Real sportsman in all senses of the word.
His first race boat was a 20 foot Alim that he entered in the Around Long Island marathon. Since he needed extra fuel tanks, he set in another tank and "nailed" it all around with wood to hold it in........the tank broke loose on the way to the starting line...end of race.
I was talking to Bill Wishnick yesterday from his home in Utah. We were talking about some of his memories of his own career. He still remembers with admiration the generosity of a South American competitor.
Wishnick had shipped his boat down to Argentina for the winter races. The first race was won by Balestrieri and Wishnick came in second. But to earn that second, they damaged one engine. He had no spare engine with him and was out of the running for the next race to Uraguay.
Balestrieri told him that one of the South American racers had suddendly taken ill and was in the hsospital. Wishnick went to visit him to see if he would be interested in letting him use his boat. He did, and Wishnick came in second in that race also.
In hindsight, he thought about what a generous offer the man had made to him. Real sportsman in all senses of the word.
His first race boat was a 20 foot Alim that he entered in the Around Long Island marathon. Since he needed extra fuel tanks, he set in another tank and "nailed" it all around with wood to hold it in........the tank broke loose on the way to the starting line...end of race.
Charlie,
Thank you for sharing these annecdoctes with us.
The South American episode relates to the 1971 season, when Bill Wishnick had decided to challenge for the World title. As Richie explained earlier in this thead, the Championship had rounds in the four corners of the world. Before the season, the two main challengers: Balestrieri and Wishnick had a 'gentlemen agreement'. Neither of them would take part in a race where the other couldn't attend.
Having scored two victories in front of Bill Wishnick in South America and getting ready for third round in South Africa, Balestrieri received a call from New York informing him that his American rival couldn't make the trip to Capetown.
Balestrieri stayed in Rome.
Like you said Charlie, these guys were real sportsmen in all senses of the word.
Phil.
01-12-2007 | 06:01 AM
#159
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From: Viareggio-Italy
Re: 36 Cigarettes racing back in the days
Phil,You are right about the real sportman spirit in the offshore in those fantastic years.Like said well Richie some posts before.
They was non professional competitors. Amateur.And they behaviors was often,but not always,of gentlemans.
Then in the natural evolution of the sport the original spirit gone lost.
That was the Real Offshore. It's dead many years ago.
Marco
They was non professional competitors. Amateur.And they behaviors was often,but not always,of gentlemans.
Then in the natural evolution of the sport the original spirit gone lost.
That was the Real Offshore. It's dead many years ago.
Marco
01-12-2007 | 08:01 AM
#160
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Posts: 451
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Re: 36 Cigarettes racing back in the days
Nigel that is a great photo. It really brings back those memories of what really fun days they were.
I was talking to Bill Wishnick yesterday from his home in Utah. We were talking about some of his memories of his own career. He still remembers with admiration the generosity of a South American competitor.
Wishnick had shipped his boat down to Argentina for the winter races. The first race was won by Balestrieri and Wishnick came in second. But to earn that second, they damaged one engine. He had no spare engine with him and was out of the running for the next race to Uraguay.
Balestrieri told him that one of the South American racers had suddendly taken ill and was in the hsospital. Wishnick went to visit him to see if he would be interested in letting him use his boat. He did, and Wishnick came in second in that race also.
In hindsight, he thought about what a generous offer the man had made to him. Real sportsman in all senses of the word.
His first race boat was a 20 foot Alim that he entered in the Around Long Island marathon. Since he needed extra fuel tanks, he set in another tank and "nailed" it all around with wood to hold it in........the tank broke loose on the way to the starting line...end of race.
I was talking to Bill Wishnick yesterday from his home in Utah. We were talking about some of his memories of his own career. He still remembers with admiration the generosity of a South American competitor.
Wishnick had shipped his boat down to Argentina for the winter races. The first race was won by Balestrieri and Wishnick came in second. But to earn that second, they damaged one engine. He had no spare engine with him and was out of the running for the next race to Uraguay.
Balestrieri told him that one of the South American racers had suddendly taken ill and was in the hsospital. Wishnick went to visit him to see if he would be interested in letting him use his boat. He did, and Wishnick came in second in that race also.
In hindsight, he thought about what a generous offer the man had made to him. Real sportsman in all senses of the word.
His first race boat was a 20 foot Alim that he entered in the Around Long Island marathon. Since he needed extra fuel tanks, he set in another tank and "nailed" it all around with wood to hold it in........the tank broke loose on the way to the starting line...end of race.
